Should the Ravens be interested in wide receiver DeSean Jackson if the Redskins let him go?

That scenario is not beyond the realm of possibility. We know the Ravens need more playmakers, and Jackson is just that. We also know Jackson could be a salary cap casualty due to his $9.25 million cap number for next season.

Jackson’s fate will be a tough decision for the Redskins. But if they turn Jackson loose, the Ravens have reason to be tempted. Jackson is still only 29 years old, a lot younger than Steve Smith, who will turn 37 years old in May, and who is coming off Achilles surgery.

The Ravens could offer Jackson a far more reasonable contract than the Redskins are paying if he gets cut. And there are reasons why joining the Ravens might be appealing to Jackson. He could remain in the DMV, and the Ravens have a strong-armed quarterback in Joe Flacco who throws deep well. And a wide receiver corps that includes Smith, Jackson, a healthy Breshad Perriman, and Kamar Aiken would make the Ravens look far more dangerous on paper than they do know.

Jackson only played 10 games last season, which kept down his numbers (30 catches, 528 yards, four touchdowns). But in both 2013 and 2014, Jackson had more than 1,100 yards receiving. You are talking about a player whose career averages are 17.7 yards per catch, and 977 yards per season. That’s a playmaker. And in John Harbaugh, the Ravens have a coach used to dealing successfully with strong personalities like Jackson’s.

The Ravens have had success signing veteran receivers late in their careers, like Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason, and Smith. If Jackson leaves the Redskins, maybe he won’t have to travel far for his next stop.

On Wednesday, February 14, a horrific school shooting claimed the lives of 17 innocent people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

The tragic event impacted people far and wide, and hit especially close to home for Ravens running back Alex Collins.

The former Arkansas star was born in Plantation, Fla., a suburb of Fort Lauderdale and went to high school just 15 miles south of Douglas High School.

In the offseason, Collins took Irish dancing lessons to improve his footwork, and following the act of terror, the Ravens' tailback learned that one of his dance partners had been killed in the mass shooting.

17-year-old Cara Loughran attended The Drake school of Irish Dance with Collins in addition to two other Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students and was fatally shot by the gunman on Wednesday afternoon.

“We received confirmation a few hours ago we lost one of the girls, Cara Loughran. Two other girls saw and experienced unspeakable tragedy. My heart goes out to these girls, all their families and their teacher Chrissy.”

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears will launch the NFL's 99th season by playing in the annual Hall of Fame game on Aug. 2.

The Ravens' first appearance in the Hall of Fame game, which launches the league's 2018 Enshrinement Week. Former Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis is among the inductees, along with former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Lewis, who played 17 seasons with the Ravens, and Urlacher, who played all of his 13 seasons with Chicago, both were elected on the first ballot.

Lewis joins Jonathan Ogden as the only Ravens in the Hall of Fame. Both were selected by Baltimore in the first round of the 1996 draft.

The other members of the Class of 2018 include Bobby Beathard, Robert Brazile, Brian Dawkins, Jerry Kramer, Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. All will be inducted on Saturday, Aug. 4.

This will be the record-tying fifth time that the Bears will play in the Hall of Fame game. They won the previous four, most recently 27-24 over Miami in 2005.